Stepless hoist control



April 10, 1962 A, F, VOG-|- 3,029,372

s'rEPLEss HoIsT CONTROL Filed sept. 15,. 195e Unite The 'present invention relates to improved motor'speed control means having its principalapplicationin a motor operated hoist, although it may also be employed in other machine settings in which a. load is continually on the kMore particularly, the invention motor of the unit. affords a stepless control for an induction. motor over a wide speed range in either direction of operation of the motor, by reason of the use of magnetic amplifier means to regulate saturable reactor means in the usual motor circuitry, preferably in the external ory secondary portion of' the latter.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved hoist control which, in comparison with previous comparable controls, is stepless in action, asindicated above; which is not solely responsive in operation to motor speed or other conditions retlecting motor performance, but is on the contrary governed primarily through a master variable voltage; which -does not rely on the use of variable resistor or impedance means in the rotor circuit, nor upon electronic means including thyratron tubes, etc., therein; and in which, in a preferred embodiment, reliance is not placed on an additional pilot motor or upon some sort of voltage generator to regulate speed of the hoist motor.

In attaining these objectives the improved system, features a set of saturable reactors connected in parallel with portions of the usual external resistance of the motor, with inductive control windings for the respective reactors energized through a magnetic amplifier, under the control of a suitable master voltage controller, to induce a rectified D.C. control voltage in the reactor unit proper.

in a preferred embodiment of the invention the hoist motor is operated in association with a known type of eddy current brake, which is excited through a second magnetic amplifier. The input leads of this second vainplier are connected to the output terminals of the irst, orl saturable reactor controlling amplitier, so that the States Patent ice - braking which keeps the load at a safe speed.

eddy current brake andsaturable reactors are oppositely Y energized. Thus when the master controller is set for maximum voltage' application to the first magnetic ampliiier, with minimum or zero output of the latter to enen' gize the saturable reactor control windings, the second magnetic amplifier Will alsol have minimum or zero voltage applied thereto and its brake excitation output is thenl amaximum, and vice versa. Motor speed is held at any intermediate value by manipulating the master controller in this manner to adjust inverse.y the eddy current and saturable reactor voltage in this manner.

Another object is toy provide a motor control of this type in which the circuit is so` devised the load will not lower at unsafe speeds. To thisfend a relay'in the circuit of the eddy current brake is set to drop out at a predetermined voltage to the latter, and when it drops out it sets up an overspeed control circuit. This in turn consistsl oi a voltage relay which drops out at close to motor synchronous speed, and a further control relay.

windings 19,

Other objects and features of the invention willbecorne apparent as the description proceeds, especially' when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingv drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention where- FIG. 1 is a schematic wiring diagram of a circuit or system'featuring the principle of stepless motorspeed control by saturable reactor, magnetic ampliiier, eddy current brake and master controller components, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of theV invention; and

FIGURES 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams of the magnetic amplifier illustrated in block diagram form in FIG- URE 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 16 designates an induction motor of the wound rotor type, although certain changes in the saturable reactor connections will enable the use of a sq'uirrel cage motor. Motor 1t), in an application to a hoist, is conventionally connected to the shaft of a hoist drum (not shown), which is equipped with a conventional electrically operated shoe or disc brake 11. Brake 11 is connected for energization to two of the three phase supply leads L1, L2 and L3 of motor 10. These are controlled by sets 12 and 13' of hoist and lower contacts, respectively, of con-v tactors 12, 13 in the main operating circuit of the hoist motor, in the usual manner.

The rotor circuit of motor l-( has resistorsV 15, 16 and 1'7 connected thereto in a conventional way, withcontacts 18' of a contactor 18 in the motor operating circuit in shunting relation thereto; and the reference numerals 19, 20 and 21 `designate saturable reactors including primary 20" and 21 and cores 19'", 20" and 21"' whose respective controlwindings 19?, 20 and 21 Vand selectively energized to cause the reactors to conwith an input terminal of a conventional rectiiier 24, the

Asa result the eddy current brake relay referred to Y .overspeed circuit for heavy loads when the brake excitation drops-below a predetermined value, and finally, it

other input terminal of which returns to another phase through a lead 25l and variable resistor 26. An over.n speed voltage relay 27 is connected across the output terminals of rectifier 24, and relay 27 is set to drop out when motor 10 attains 95% of synchronous speed so that contacts 27 arel closed only after the motor 10: attains of synchronous speed.'

The reference niuneral 29v designates an eddy current brake of known type excited through leads 30, 31, in one of which a relay 32. is wired. Relay kT22 is set to drop out at 35% of maximum voltage applied toV eddy current brake Z9, andin doing so itY closes contacts 32 'at voltages below said 35% and sets up the overspeed` circuit including voltage relay 27, as well as 'a further overspeed control relay 33 connected Vas shown in the hoist and t lower operating circuit 34 of the system, as referred: to

responding reference numerals, primed. A hoist limit switch 36 is placed in the operating circuit 34 in a known manner. Y

Leads 37, 38 and 39 connect two of the. motor supply phase leads L1 and L2 with the motor operating circuit 34 and a speed control circuit for the system, generally designated 41 and including the control windings 19', 20' and 21' of the saturable reactors.` Also included in this circuit are the two above mentioned magnetic amplifiers variably energizing the windings 19', 20', 2lA and the eddy current brake 29, respectively, as well as the master controller referred to, under the control of which a rectiied D.C. controi voltage is applied to the amplifier 50.V

The master `controller or switch means is designated 43, and may be a variable transformer of a conventional manually operated, stepless selector type, or a manually operated variable resistor as shown. It is supplied through the A.C. leads 37, 3S and has output connections 44, d5,

the latter including a variable resistor 46 for range control, with the input terminals of a second rectifier 47. The output of rectifier 47 is connected by leads 48, 49 to the control winding of a first magnetic amplifier 50 of standard type; which is so biased as indicated at 53 that when this winding has maximum voltage applied thereto through master controller 43 its output through leads 51, 52 to the saturable reactor control windings 19', 20', 21' will be a minimum or zero and the saturable reactors will be relatively de-energized.

The magnetic amplifier 50 is schematically shown in more detail in FiGURE 2 and comprises the rectiiiers 62, 64, 66 and 68 connected as shown between the line voltage conductors 3S and 39, the primary coils 70 and 72, saturable core 74, control coil 76 connected to conductors 48 and 49 from the rectifier 47 and bias coil 53 which may be connected to a suitable bias voltage source (not shown).

In operation the bias voltage of coil 53 may be chosen to produce maximum output across conductors 51 and 52 due to saturation of core '74. The voltage across coil 76 is then chosen to oppose the voltage across coil 53 whereby on increase of the voltage across coil 76 due to manipulation of the master controller 43v the output of the amplifier across the conductors 51 and 52 will be caused to vary inversely thereto.

A second magnetic amplifier 54 shown best in FIG. 3, whose output is applied through leads 30, 31 and relay 32 to the eddy current brake 29, has its input side connected through leads 55 and 56 (with a variable resistor 57 in the latter) to the output leads 51, 52 of the iirst magnetic amplifier 50. The operation of amplitier 54 is similar to that of amplifier 50. Thus with the control winding of amplifier 50 under maximum energization for a minimum output the control winding of second amplifier 54 will have minimum energization. The result is that amplifier 54, as supplied by the phase connected leads 38 and 39 and biased as indicated at 58, will have a maximum output for maximum excitation of eddy cur- -rent brake 29. Conversely, when there is maximum energization of the saturable reactors the brake 29 will be under minimum excitation; and the relationship holds in intermediate settings of the master variable voltage controller 43.

In operation, as the master controller 43 is manipulated in the hoist direction the contactors 12'and 18 the energizing contacts SW1 for which may be mechanically connected to the master controller as indicated at '78 initially close and maximum voltage is applied to the con trol winding of first magnetic amplifier 50, whose output voltage is thus made zero. Minimum voltage is applied Y to the ysecond magnetic amplifier 54, so that its output is a maximum.

The above arrangement provides 100% excitation on the eddy current brake 29 and zero voltage on the saturable reactor control windings 19', 20' and 21'. The clos ing ot contactor 18 leaves about 90% ohms in Vthe secondary circuit of the motor 10. This provides enough torque so heavy loads will not lower.

In order to hoist at a faster rate the master controller or switch 43` is moved to higher speed settings, and itsV voltage output gradually decreases to zero. This in turn applies maximum voltage to the saturable reactor control windings i9', 20', 2l and zero excitation voltage on the eddy current brake 29, thus producing maximum hoisting speed. The speed may be held at any value in be tween. Y

In operating to lower, the hoist contactor 13 the energizing contacts SW2 for which may also be mechanically connected to controller 43, as shown at closes and maximum voltage is applied to the'control winding of magnetic amplifier Si) for a zero output voltage of the same. Minimum voltage isapplied to amplifier 54, whose output is then a maximum.

The above arrangement provides 100% excitation on the eddy current brake Z9 and zero voltage on the saturable reactor control windings. 200% ohms are Vin the secondary circuit of the motor 10, which provides about 50% drive down torque.

In order to lower at a faster rate, the master switch 43 is moved to higher speed settings, its voltage gradually decreasing to zero. This in turn applies maximum voltage to the saturable reactor control windings and zero voltage to the eddy current brake, thus producing maxi mum lowering speed.

The circuit is designed so the load will not lower at unsafe speeds. As indicated above, relay 32 in the brake excitation line normally holds contacts 32 open and is set to drop out of a 35% volta-ge supply to the eddy current brake 29 closing contacts 32 for a voltage supply below 35%. When relay 32 drops out it sets up the overspeed circuit consisting ofthe voltage relay 27, which drops out at of synchronous speed to closed contacts 27', and energize the control relay 33 by means of contacts 33 of relay 35. The purpose of time delay relay 35 is to allow time for relay 27 to pick up when the cycle is started.

Relay 32 serves to prevent dropping of the load in the event of failure of excitation to the eddy current brake.V

tacts 33 will close energizing contactor 18 to close controls 18. With contacts 18 closed since the frequency is near zero the saturable reactors will act as a short and keep the load at a safe speed through regenerative braking. That is to say with the saturable reactors acting as a short optimum regenerative braking will take place in the motor at motor speeds above synchronous speed.

The systemof the invention is a very sensitive one, in which the application of a very slight voltage on the control winding of the magnetic amplifier 50 or 59 will vary its output from zero to maximum. It is essentially responsive in controlling motor speed to a stepless manipulation of a master controller and, other than the satu- Y circuits and having a core, a main winding, and a control winding for saturating the core to reduce the selfV inductance of the main winding whereby the speed of said motor may be controlled, a magnetic amplifier having means to electrically supply and energize the same and having its output connected to said reactor control. winding, a master voltage controller unit having means supplying voltage thereto and having its output connected to said magnetic amplifier, means to 'produce an output voltage from said amplifier to said control winding which varies inversely in value with the Voltage applied by the controller unit to said amplifier, and brake means associated with said motor and operable to control motor speed conjointly with said saturable reactor unit.

2. A speed control system for an induction hoist or like motor having primary and secondary circuits, cornprising a saturable reactor unit connected in one of said circuits and having a core, a main Winding, and a control winding .for saturating the core to reduce the self inductance of the main winding whereby the speed of said motor may be controlled, a magnetic amplifier having means to electrically supply and energize the same and having its output connected to said reactor control winding, a master voltage controller unit having means supplying voltage thereto and having its output connected to said magnetic amplifier, means to produce an output voltage from said amplfier to said control winding which varies inversely in value with the voltage applied by the controller unit to said amplifier, and brake means associated with said motor and operable to effect said motor inversely of the effectk of said saturable reactor unit to control motor speed conjontly with the latter.

3. A speed control system for any induction hoist or lile motor having primary and secondary circuits, cornprising a saturable reactor unit connected in one of said circuits and having a core, a main winding, and a control winding for saturating the core to reduce the self inductance of the main winding whereby the speed of said motor may be controlled, a first magnetic amplifier having means to electrically supply and energize the same and having its output connected to said reactor control winding, a master voltage controller unit having means supplying voltage thereto and having its output connected to said magnetic amplifier, means to produce an output voltage from said amplier to said control winding which varies inversely in value with the voltage applied by the controller unit to said amplifier and further means effective on said motor inversely of the effect of said saturable Y reactor unit to control motor speed conjointly with the latter, comprising an eddy current brake applied to the motor, and a second magnetic amplifier provided with means to electrically energize the same and connected to said brake to supply excitation voltage thereto, said second magnetic amplifier having its input side connected to the output of said iirst magnetic amplifier and having an output voltage that varies inversely with voltage input thereto. Y

4. A control system in accordance with claim 3, and including overspeed protection means including an operating circuit having contacts therein operable to ready the operating circuit for completion in which system the excitation connection of said second magnetic amplifier to said eddy current brake includes a protective relay operating to close said contacts at eddy current brake excitation below a predetermined amount so that the operating circuit can be completed at a predetermined motor speed.

5. A control system inaccordance with claim 4,'in which the overspeed protection means also includes an overspeed protection circuit connected in the motor secondary circuit, including a variable resistor and rectifier in series and connected in shunt with part of said secondary circuit, and a relay operably associated with said rectifier for closing relay contacts in said operating circuit at a motor speed approaching close to synchronous speed to complete said operating circuit.

6. A control system in accordance with claim 5 wherein parallel resistances are provided in said one circuit and said overspeed protection means also includes contacts which when closed short out a portion of said parallel resstances to produce optimum regenerative braking of said motor at motor speed above synchronous motorv speed, and means in said operating circuit for closing said contacts on completion of said operating circuit.

7. A speed control system for an induction hoist or like motor having primary and secondary circuits, comprising a saturable reactor unit connected in one of said circuits and having a core, a main Winding, and a control winding for saturating the core to reduce the self inductance of the main winding whereby the speed of said motor may ybe controlled, a magnetic amplifier having means toelectrically supply and energize the same and having its output connected to said reactor control winding, a master voltage controller unit Vhaving means supplying voltage thereto and having its output connected to said magnetic amplifier, means to produce an output voltage from said amplifier to said control winding which varies in value with the voltage applied by the controller unit to said amplifier, and brake means associated with said motor and operable to control motor yspeed con` jointly with said saturable reactor unit.

8. A speed control system for an induction hoist or like motor having primary and secondary circuits, comprising a saturable reactor unit connected in one of said circuits and having a control winding, a magnetic amplifier having means to electrically supply and energize the same and having its output connected to saidV reactor control winding, a master voltage controller unit having means supplying voltage thereto and having its output connected'to said magnetic amplifier, means to produce an output voltage from said amplifier to said control winding which varies in value with the voltage applied by the controller unit to said amplifier, and brake means associated with said motor and operable to control motor n speed conjointly with said saturable reactor unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

